Letter to a Friend

Dear Rubie,Rubs, as my best friend I need you to give me your opinion on a topic that was brought to my attention, consuming situations. It has been said that us Americans have a huge problem with buying things that aren’t necessary, which in most cases is true. I agree that we have fallen in the marketers traps to buying the latest and newest item or product available. So much that society frowns upon those people who don’t have enough money to afford the real deal and buy things that aren’t brand labeled. This situations leads to many things that affects all of our society. It calls for class division, debts, and in long term, depression.I was reading an article titled “Commodify Your Dissent” by Thomas Frank, he provides information of corporation advertising and where they get some of their ideas. Simple phrases for example, “This is different. Different is good.” from Arby’s and “Sometimes You Gotta Break The Rules” from Burger King, cause people to think that they always have to be different thus concluding buying food at these so-called restaurants. Frank states that this smart marketing idea, counter cultural, came from the 1960’s in where a rebel group, called the Beats, gathered people who did not approve of laws that prevented privileges to certain people. Corporations now in days use this idea to make consumers think that buying their product makes a difference. Advertisements like these are published everywhere for everyone to see and it works.The second article is somewhat different in a sense, its titled “What is in a Package?” by Thomas Hine. He stated in his article that packaging has a great impact on the items we choose. Corporations get very creative with their packages, labels, and boxes; things that attract the attention of the customers in any place. It is the second step of what Thomas Frank explained. For example, when people are buying cookies they do not buy the cheaper cookies that imitate Oreos because if a guest comes to their house and sees the cheap cookies they will probably think they are cheap. Our greedy needs for brand labels have caused us to be picky with food, if it is cheaper the taste is cheaper and the more expensive brand is tastier according to us.Both of these articles argue that corporations have created a new society who now only cares about “the new”. Frank and Hine both state that corporations use these advertisements or packaging as a weakness to the people who buy these products. The rougher the competition the better the corporations enhance the consumers desire for unnecessary items. Both authors seem to think this is a problem and it is because it can lead to greater impacts in the world that affects us all.I began to think more about this topic and I wanted to share my understands with you because I know you will analyze it as well. The world has become into a fashion passion and its getting to a point where things are becoming very expensive. I hope you are able to reply to my letter and you respond with your opinion about it, because this problem needs to be introduced more to people before we all run out of money.Sincerely,Ashley Magana